Students

Adding information management muscle to the W. P. Carey MBA

W. P. Carey MBA students specialize in the second year of their program. Those interested in information technology have two choices -- the specialization in information management or the dual W. P. Carey MBA/Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM). These options give students an opportunity to augment the managerial skills they learn in the MBA core with the ability to dive deep into issues surrounding the use of technology to create value in their firms. One feature of the specialization is the summer internship, when they work inside companies and take on big challenges. Returning to campus for their second year, these students find they have a lot to contribute in class -- and during interviews with recruiters. But the real pay off comes on the job as graduates bring a broad strategic view of IT to their companies.

2010-10-01

It's fall, and around the country first year MBA students are beginning the journey to become business leaders. In the W. P. Carey Full-time MBA, new students are also beginning to think about what field they want to focus on during the program — a decision that will define their summer internship, their second year coursework and career opportunities down the road. Those interested in information technology have two choices — the specialization in information management or the dual W. P. Carey MBA/Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM), according to Julie Smith David, associate professor of information systems and director of the Center for Advancing Business through Information Technology, who coordinates the MBA specialization and dual degree. These options give students an opportunity to dive deep into issues surrounding the use of technology to create value in their firms. The specialization in information technology is five courses that develop skills in project management, database systems, electronic commerce, data warehousing and business process analysis. Those who choose the dual MBA/MSIM sign on for a dynamic experience that teaches them to evaluate business issues, then discern whether and what technology will solve the problem in the 10 courses they take to complete their MSIM degree. During the summer between the first and second years of their MBA experience, students fan out among the Fortune 500 firms, high technology businesses, and entrepreneurial startups who recruit W. P. Carey MBA interns. The core W. P. Carey MBA classes in the first year prepare students with the basics of finance, accounting, marketing, supply chain, information systems and leadership. They are ready to go into companies and take on big challenges. "The internship is an incredible opportunity for the students to apply what they've been learning, and it's an opportunity for the companies to assess how strong these students are as possible job candidates after they graduate," says David. "When they go on their internship, they have the tools that allow them to look at any company, evaluate their processes and lead projects that implement change." As a result, more than half of the students who work as summer interns receive job offers later, she adds. Pon Gowtham Ponnusamy 25, is getting his MBA with a dual specialization in supply chain management and information management. His internship this past summer developed his skills in both areas. "It was a really good experience," says Ponnusamy, who had considerable experience in information systems before enrolling in the W. P. Carey MBA program. "I didn't have much background in supply chains, but I was able to apply what I learned from my MBA along with my background in information systems." After graduating next May, Ponnusamy hopes eventually to return to his native India, where, he believes, the skills he learned on his internship will make him valuable. "As firms in India become more competitive, they are going to have to look into cutting costs in their supply chains," Ponnusamy says. An information technology consultant for three years in India and China before enrolling at W. P. Carey School, Dipti Katewa, 25, chose the dual degree. The first-hand experience she obtained during her internship will be invaluable for working in a business, Katewa believes. "When we are taught any concept in class, it's often the simplest case — this is the data we have, and this is the data we need," she says. "In the real world, things often are incomplete." Gaurav Bhamri, 27, an MBA student who had worked for several years as an information technology consultant for healthcare, financial and manufacturing firms, did his summer internship with a Phoenix-based semiconductor company. He says the experience allowed him to use what he has been learning in graduate school as well as his prior experience in information technology consulting. A native of India, Bhamri received his bachelor's degree in computer engineering in India. The internship "gave me a very good understanding of the overall business," he said Students returning from their internships quickly discover that their experiences on their jobs change experiences in the classroom. "I'm able to follow things so much better," Katewa says. "Because of the industry experience, you can really understand the things you learn in class." Professor David says, "The classroom discussions are really good. You can talk about something you've read in a book, but these are real world experiences they can draw on." The summer internships have been part of the Information Management program at W. P. Carey School for many years, but they have taken on renewed importance in recent years, according to David. "With the economy being bad, everyone — both companies and job seekers — is being more cautious in their employment decisions. The internship is really valuable for testing the tires," David says. Bhamri, Katewa, and Ponnusamy say they are exploring their options for employment after they graduate in May. They say they might work for the companies they interned with, or they may find jobs elsewhere. Ponnusamy says his long-term goal is to go into supply chain consulting. "With my internship coupled with my past experience, I believe I can reach the target of my job search," he says. Once on the job, the specialized skills learned in the program pay off. "The ASU MBA/MSIM combination provides an excellent foundation for understanding how IT needs to be utilized to insure maximum value is created for the business, " says Marla Anderson, an alumnus and lead engineer for IT at General Dynamics. "The first step is understanding the strategic initiatives for the business and then assuring IT aligns with those initiatives." " All business decisions are based on information, " she added,"and IT is uniquely positioned to insure the information needed to make informed decisions is available when and where it is needed. " More information about the W. P. Carey MBA and the opportunities to develop deep professional expertise in information management.

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